


Swimming.

by gabbyv23



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Bullying, Highschoolstuck, Homophobia, Humanstuck, M/M, probably others i cant think of right now
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-09-23
Updated: 2013-03-17
Packaged: 2017-11-14 20:54:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 1,635
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/519416
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gabbyv23/pseuds/gabbyv23
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He hates him. He's absolutely sure of it. Why else would the guy be staring at him? Everyone's the same. So why would he think he'd be any different? (Discontinued.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. A Confession

**Author's Note:**

> One of those fics where the timeline's all over the goddamn place. I will probably delete this like all of my other fics, blah...  
> or just, you know, never update ever. Like fluff in between angst?

Do it. Do it now or never. You have this all planned out, Eri. Despite my own advice I’m still searching the ground and my throat is dry and I’m shaking. The word, ‘but’ keeps crossing my mind, but my conscience gets the best of me.

“Equius, I-“  
“You love me.”

He reads my mind out loud, and of course, of course he knew. I’m the desperate foreign kid, it’s my fucking title at this school. He probably finished my sentence just to avoid my horrid pronunciation.

I flinch, maybe I misjudged his character and he’s going to end me here. Maybe I want him to. I’ve seen him punch holes in walls and I’m much weaker than a wall. I prepare and he-  
Drops his arms.

“I’m not going to hit you.”

I look up for a split second and sprint out the halls.

“Wait!” His voice is unsure, but sharp and urgent. I stop and walk backwards very slowly.

When I meet his gaze again, his chipped sunglasses are pushing back his hair and I can see his eyes. They’re a dark blue like caverns buried beneath ocean waves and nobody- not even Vris or Fef have eyes as mesmerizing as his.

He lays a firm hand on my shoulder to soothe my nerves.

It’s okay,” he says softly.

It’s an hour after school and nobody else is here to watch, so I allow it. My shaking nerves liquify under his touch and I clench onto the back of his shirt, not minding the sweat.

“I’m sorry,” I start in a sob, “You probably think I’m a fuckin’ faggot! Well now you know the rumors are all true. I don’t usually do this I swear… They say I really lust after everybody, but this time, this time it was different I promise! I didn't mean-“

“Shhhh…”

He pulls me into an embrace and rubs circles into my back. I try to be quiet, I really do, but it’s hard and I end up with unfinished apologies and whimpering and he quiets me further. Someone must have seen us because he let go and settled for a shoulder pat, and I think it was to save my reputation instead of his.

“ We should uh, go… Sorry about all this, I probably shouldn't go around tellin’ people I love them anyway…” I say in a whisper.

He gives me the most discrete kiss below my ear.

“It’s okay,” he repeats himself. “It’s okay.”

He’s got to stop doing that before I sink into his skin.

I squirm from his hold and step away. My eyes return to the floor.

“So I… I guess this means…”

“The feeling is mutual. Somewhat.”

“ Somewhat!? Well I… I guess that’s alright.”

I exhale.

“See you… tomorrow?” I ask.

“Mmm. See you tomorrow, seadweller.”

I’m walking away as he says that and I’m glad I am. My face is burning red at the nickname.

He must’ve seen me swim.


	2. Seadweller

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> short-ass chapter. Some of them will be short, it just sort of happens that way. Equius stumbles upon Eridan in the pool and watches him. Like a creep.

The lights are dim, aside from the pool lights illuminating the waters in blue reflection. It does not hold your interest, but it’s only there whilst your mind wanders and it always does. You don’t tend to speak much, lest to discuss things intelligently or idle small talk. You stay here because frankly your home life bores you and the weight room next door to the pool is quite relieving. You’ve been here too long today and you’re about to leave, except- someone’s here.

It’s another male, average height, yet tall for his age you assume, standing a few yards from the pool. The angles of his shoulders have sharp edges, though he is far from skinny. His body is thoroughly chiseled from his chest to his stomach, though had he been clothed you doubt you could tell. He’s a swimmer and he’s done this before. That much is clear from his physique and current attire or lack there of. Though he lacks the fierce determination of a competitor in his eyes or if he has it, it’s forced and more worried and guilty than brave.

With a sigh, he lunges into the water and his stress seems to fade. You’ve seen swimmers before, and yet he’s different. He does not fight the water. He merges with it… He swims as if he was born underwater, as if it’s his domain and he’s a legged fish and being away from it makes him homesick, makes it hard for him to even breathe. He’s a seadweller among landdwellers and he can’t stand it.

You think too much. People watching is a nasty habit of yours. You’ll make a note of not writing about him in your poetry later… It wouldn’t be right.

He crawls out of his home with a gasp of oxygen and grabs a towel to rub off the moisture. He has clean cut fingernails, and cream colored skin. The gel previously combed through his hair is wearing out, though his chestnut colored mane remains slicked back with droplets of water loosely sticking. He opens his eyes and you catch those hazel orbs for a moment, but look away. If he saw you, you’d just be another creep.

You mentally note to yourself to vaguely bring him up to Nepeta the next time you converse. You add another note, not to linger on the details of his wet skin too much.


	3. Home.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They walk home and be babies.

You walk home with him one day. You don’t even have to say a word to initiate it. You find his eyes and walk by him, locking arms and resting your head on his shoulder. He continues to give you kisses atop your head and on your cheeks, but you nudge him to stop. One because he looks ridiculous, someone like him kissing someone like you, and two because you’d rather be the one kissing him instead.

You don’t speak, and try your best not to, though hum some and snuggle into him. If you spoke it’d come out in your stuttering accent and even more stuttering now, but it comes to a point where you have to. “Can you take me home or…?”

“Suppose I can,” he replies.

For a moment you wonder if you’re being selfish, but you don’t want to leave his arms. “I really mean it. I lo… like… ugh… love you. I’m sorry my accent’s shit, but you know what I mean.”

“I know.” He kisses you again. “but… do your parents know?”

You shrug. “Pfft, Dad? Oh yes, he ‘accepts’ me,” You air-quote. “Probably surprised I can even GET someone, even if it’s a guy…” You look up a little tentatively and he smiles at you.

You near your home and you try to kiss him goodbye, but struggle. You get on your toes and jump even. It takes him a while to realize what you’re getting at, but when he does he chuckles. He leans forward and kisses you, but you’re tired of being babied and kiss his nose.

Before he departs, he turns. “Eridan,”

“Hmm?”

“I love you.”

Your whole body freezes. “I love you too.” He walks away and you get inside and shut the door. Curse him for making you so red.


	4. Ampurra

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wrote this chapter a while ago actually, and wasn't planning on updating this fic ever, but have it anyway. I figure, at least it's linearish and not all the fuck over the place quite yet. If I do update this fic at the rate that I initially planned for, there will be sadstuck. Nobody's gonna die, but, it's gonna be sad. Unfortunately I lost a chapter, but I'm still kinda looking for it. Maybe I'll rewrite it who knows.
> 
> Enjoy this teeny chapter.

"So, I was working out the other day and right when I was toweling off, I saw this boy-" That last word was all it took for Nepeta to start bouncing on her toes.

"Yes, Yessss?" She watched you in excitement with her big green eyes and her furry blue cat paws balled into fists. You often reminded her not to engage in gossip, but you do suppose you were the one starting it.

You clear your throat. "Anyway. I saw this boy and... I guess he looked kind of nervous. He looked like he was maybe on the swim team? This is all besides the point... But, when he got into the water... When he got into the water I was shocked at how good he was. He swam like he was a fish and it was so pretty..." You stopped talking, but your mouth was still open. Words escaped you for a moment, but your friend was still staring at you in awe, so you had to think quickly. "And, well... I just thought it was nice to see."

Nepeta smiles widely at you. "I think I know him," she sung. She then went to bury her face in her paws and giggle. She looked back at you and whispered through her paws. "Eridan."

Eridan. You swear to god you've heard that name before. Was it through rumors or through friendly gossip? Oh dear. You hope not. Wait... 

"Didn't Vriska mention him once?" you ask cautiously.

Nepeta nods. "Mmhmm! Actually a LOT of times. They went out once! And then they broke up, through a TEXT MESSAGE! Can you believe it? Eridan was heartbroken for wee-" You put your hand over her mouth and she frowns. 

You're still processing the info, but you would really hate to hear anything bad about him. 

"...Do you like him, Equius?" she asks, all the tease in her voice gone.

You think about it. You give a very subtle nod. "Maybe a little," you admit.

"Aww, Equius!" She shakes free of your hands and wraps her arms around your waist. (Which, for her height is the highest she can reach.) "You should definitely go for it! I think, maybe it would be good for you! Get your mind off Aradia a little bit, hmm?"

You shiver at the mention of Aradia, but you agree with your friend. "Yeah... It would. Is he..." You don't have to finish your sentence, she knows what you're asking.

"No." She sounds as if she's trying not to laugh. "Eridan Ampurra is not straight."

You sigh. You're not sure if you're relieved or worried.


End file.
